The great nephew of the last King of Poland has had his Chislehurst grave restored.
Prince Jozef Michal Poniatowski, a famous composer in his own right, was laid to rest at St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in 1873.
Now newly refurbished by the Polish Heritage Society (PHS) after years of decay, his burial site is to be unveiled tomorrow by the UK’s Polish Ambassador Witold Sobkow.
Local MP Bob Neill is also set to attend the graveyard ceremony, which will be followed by a church mass where a headstone and plaque are going to be announced.
In the evening a concert of Poniatowski’s music at the country’s embassy in London is planned featuring two of Poland’s current musical stars.
PHS chairman Dr Marek Stella-Sawicki said he is very grateful to everyone involved in the event, adding: “We are delighted to be able to showcase the music of Prince Poniatowski as well as the talents of two fine Polish musicians.”
Poniatowski was born and studied in Rome and was given the title of Prince of Monte Rotondo in 1847, while he later became a French citizen and was given a high-ranking position in parliament by Napoleon III.
After the Franco-Prussian War the musician followed Napoleon as he fled to England, with the pair both settling in Chislehurst.
Before and after: a new resting place for the musical star
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